Five days after a massive rock slide covered part of the Pacific Coast Highway with mud, dirt and debris, a 9-mile stretch of the roadway was finally reopened Thursday evening.
The highway was shut down Sunday between Las Posas and Yerba Buena roads (map) in Ventura County after several vehicles became stranded in debris that was up to a foot deep in some areas, according to Ventura County Fire Department.
The slide occurred near the site of the 2013 Springs Fire, which burned some 24,000 acres along the coast and in the Santa Monica Mountains (map).
The PCH closure was initially expected to last only a day or two, but heavy downpours throughout the week delayed the reopening.
With the continuing rain, more debris could have come down onto roadway, Patrick Chandler of Caltrans said.
“We’re not going to let anyone on this road until it’s safe for motorists to be on it,” Chandler said.
The roadway reopened about 5 p.m. Thursday, Caltrans District 7 announced on Twitter.